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To: gundog
Info on the Yakhont: employs stealth technology, has supersonic flight speed and a completely independent guidance system based on the fire-and-forget concept. The missile is 8.9 meters (29.1 feet) in length. It can be launched from ships, aircraft, submarines, or even ground mobile launchers and is fired from a unified encapsulated ampoule - shaped transporter - launching container. Flight speed is at Mach 2.0+, using a kerosense liquid-fuel ramjet, with a terminal run at Mach 2.5. Range is at 300 km in a hi-lo profile or at 120 km at altitudes of 5-15 metres, in a lo-lo profile. A regular mid-course phase of the flight occurs at 15 km. If and when launched from submarines, the vessel must be fitted with 650mm torpedo tubes. An operational missile designed for hitting complex sea-based and in-shore targets, a vessel armed with the Yakhount can carry out combat operations against warships or even against carrier battle groups. Yakhont's navigation system uses an inertial guidance system based on the present target location data. At a pre-calculated flight point (around 25 - 80 km), a brief turn-on of the homing scanner occurs, resulting in exact determination of target location. After that, the homing system turns on only when the Yakhont leaves the radio horizon and drops its altitude to 5 - 15 metres, i.e. a few seconds before hitting the target. It carries a 250 kg (553 lbs.) warhead. The enemy would detect the launch of the missile at the distance of 300 km and take measures to destroy it. However, being resistant to jamming, having the flight velocity of 750 m/s and making complex maneuvers during flight, the Yakhont ASCM shall anyway reach the target. It is not the high speed or jamming protection that makes Yakhont an advanced weapon system. It's major advantage, not too much advertised by NPO Mashinostroyeniya representatives, is the guidance system which has accumulated all the NPO experience in developing electronic systems of AI (Artificial Intelligence) enabling to fight against single warships (one missile - one ship) or even against a group of warships (a flock against a group). It is salvo launching that shows all unsurpassed tactical capabilities of the Russian weapon. The missiles allocate and range targets by their importance and choose the attack implementation plan. The independent control system keeps in memory not only of the ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) and ECCM (Electronic Counter-Countermeasures) data, but also the methods of evading the fire of the enemy's air defense systems such as the US' Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System). Having destroyed the main target in a carrier group, the missiles left attack other ships of the carrier group, eliminating the possibility of using two missiles on one target. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 posted on 01/14/2003 2:04:09 PM PST by spetznaz (When i say i am perfect people say i am arrogant .....but i am just being darn honest!)
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To: spetznaz
Thanks for the info. Hard to jam, but can it be messed with with chaff or flares?

The independent control system keeps in memory not only of the ECM (Electronic Countermeasures) and ECCM (Electronic Counter-Countermeasures) data, but also the methods of evading the fire of the enemy's air defense systems such as the US' Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System).

This makes it sound like you could jerk it around long enough to get it to a point beyond which it could recover and acquire target. Of course this assumes that you've got nothing better to do than lob countermeasures at a few incoming missiles. Naval war is generally a pretty hectic ordeal.

15 posted on 01/14/2003 2:22:41 PM PST by gundog
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To: spetznaz
As far as the Yahont missile, apparently it can be armed with a 120 kiloton nuclear warhead.

China's newest secret weapon - Stealth missile could nuke U.S. cities without warning, says defense expert

53 posted on 01/14/2003 6:32:30 PM PST by Alpha One
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